A Gillingham defender has urged fans to make Priestfield Stadium ‘a fortress’ ahead of Saturday’s game against Walsall, so they can maintain their great start to 2019. 

Speaking at yesterday’s pre-match conference, left-back Bradley Garmston spoke of the importance of the Gills fans and how much they improve on the on-pitch performance of the team. 

“I think some fans underestimate how important the atmosphere is”, he said. 

“It allows you to find that little bit more inside you and its pushes the team. 

“It’s going to be vital for us. In this half of the season it’s important to make the home ground a fortress.” 

Gillingham are the team in-form right now. Whilst they started the year with defeat to Southend they have since orchestrated the giant-killing of Cardiff City in the FA Cup and followed that up with a last-minute winner away to Burton Albion last weekend.  

“The atmosphere against Cardiff was the best at Priestfield in the four years that I’ve been playing here,” said Garmston. 

“It’s been very good for our confidence, coming off the back of two victories, especially the Cardiff game and going up against Premier League opposition, we are very high on confidence and we’re looking to take that into the next game.” 

The Gills will need to be at their very best over the two weeks with a trip to Championship side Swansea for the 4th Round of the FA Cup next Saturday following a crucial game against Walsall this weekend.  

The Saddlers currently sit in 16th in the League One, a place and a point above the Gills. As both are battling to stay clear of the relegation zone, Gillingham manager Steve Lovell is taking no chances: “Anything can happen in this league and we’ll have to be on our game to get a result out of it.” 

The club recently announced the departure of Connor Wilkinson to Dagenham and Redbridge but Lovell is hopeful of signing one or two players before the January transfer window closes: “It’s important to get the right persons in. I want people will not change the way we play but add to the group.” 

Lovell’s mood has also been boosted by the return of Connor Ogilvie and Barry Fuller from injury and was delighted with the news that Darren Oldaker has signed a new three-year contract to stay at the club. 

But Walsall have also made a huge improvement to their squad having recently acquired the loan signing of former Gillingham star Matt Jarvis. The 32-year-old winger is returning to Priestfield for the first since his departure in February 2007.  

Having impressed for Gillingham as a teen, Jarvis has spent the last decade playing for top-tier clubs including Wolves, West Ham and Norwich. In 2011, he earned a call up to the England squad, picking up his one and only cap in a friendly against Ghana. However, Jarvis’s career has been hampered by injury since 2016, but Lovell believes his quality has not faded.  

“I was with the youth team with Darren [Hare] when he took him on and I remember the first game he played here. He was exceptional, and we were so lucky to have him.  

“He’s a tremendous professional and can still cause problems and we’ll be wary of him.”  

Tickets for the big game are still available on the club website as well as on the door.